


Say It Again

by CupcakeGirlA



Series: Say It Again [1]
Category: Olympics RPF, Real Person Fiction, Speed Skating RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-27
Updated: 2011-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-28 05:22:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/304205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupcakeGirlA/pseuds/CupcakeGirlA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Olympics are over. JR and Apolo spend their last night in the Olympic Athlete’s Village together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Say It Again

They leave closing ceremonies late at night. The Olympics are over. The experience is coming to a close. There are no interviews tonight. No places they have to be or things they have to do. Tomorrow the Village will start emptying out, and their little community will become a ghost town. Apolo is due to head out on a press tour the following morning, the rest of the team set to journey back to SLC to prepare for the coming World Championships in Bulgaria on Monday, a full day later.

So the team, like the rest of the Olympians, medal winners and non-medal winners alike, spent the last official night of the games at closing ceremonies, and later partying in the streets of the village. There’s a sense of camaraderie among the varied countries. For this one night it doesn’t matter what sport or nationality or team you played for. Tonight they’re all just celebrating, and having a damn good time. The fun can’t go on forever. Jae Su and Jimmy hunt them down around 2am. The five of them are in the German bar, having a round of beers, Simon slumped over between Travis and Jordan tipsy after one too many.

“Bed!” Jimmy orders, pulling them from the benches. Apolo laughs but complies, dragging JR along behind him. It’s Simon who protests.

“Jimmy! It’s the Olympics! And we’re done competing. Don’t spoil this for us!” he cries, as Travis stands up out of the bench, pulling him up into an unsteady but mostly vertical position.

“Bed!” Jae Su agrees, nudging them to the doors. “You have press tomorrow. And none of you have even started packing yet have you?” he asks. They step out into the cold air of Vancouver at night in late February. JR shivers and Apolo rubs his arms, turning to survey the rest of the group.

“Come on, guys, we all have shit to do tomorrow,” Apolo reasons. Travis yawns.

“Yeah, I’m still exhausted from yesterday’s all-nighter,” he says pulling Simon in the direction of the dorms, Jordan forcibly tagging along with Simon’s long arm looped over his shoulders and holding on tight. JR and Apolo fall in behind them, watching Simon’s wavering gate and grimacing when he stops to puke behind a bush. Jae Su and Jimmy shake their heads, glaring at Apolo as if it’s his fault the baby of the team is completely wasted. Apolo scoffs at them.

“Don’t look at me! I told him he could have one. These two idiots are the ones who kept buying him more!” Apolo says motioning to Travis and Jordan who both turn to glare at him. “Don’t try and protest. You know you are!”

“How come JR’s not plastered? He was drinking too!” Jordan asks. Apolo rolls his eyes and JR grins.

“Because I am an experienced drinker! I know my limits. Ace here, does not!” JR explains smiling wider and continuing the walk toward the dorms. Travis and Jordan pull Simon up and follow. Their little procession splits ways when exiting the elevator. Everyone getting off on the fifth floor, with Jae Su and Jimmy heading toward the coaches hall to the right and the rest of the team veering to the left where their rooms are. JR and Apolo watch with amusement as Jordan and Travis wrestle Simon through the door of the three man suite he shares with Apolo and Travis.

“You think he’ll be okay?” JR asks, watching Travis and Jordan flop the younger man down onto his bed. He doesn’t offer to help, just keeps leaning into Apolo’s side. Apolo laughs a little.

“He’ll be fine. He’ll be up puking all night, but we thankfully won’t have to deal with that!” he says smiling. JR grins in reply.

“What does that mean? I’m not taking care of him by myself and you sleep here too, Apolo!” Travis protests. Apolo laughs.

“True, but I am not spending my last night at these games, at what is probably my very last games ever, watching Simon Cho puke his guts out all night,” Apolo fires back. “Jordan can stay. It’s half his fault the kid’s wasted.”

“Besides there are other things he needs to be doing tonight,” JR adds bouncing his eyebrows. Apolo laughs, his arm sliding further around JR’s waist and tugging him closer. Jordan makes a pained sound.

“I don’t want to listen to that all night!” he fires back. JR grins.

“Then it’s a good thing you won’t be in our room tonight!”

“You can’t keep me out of my own dorm room!” Jordan says. JR laughs, holding up a set of keys.

“You really need to watch where you put your keys down, Maloney. I’ve had these since breakfast! Besides Travis is going to need help with Simon and you certainly don’t want to listen to us all night. You know how loud we can get,” JR explains with a smile. Jordan groans, looking a little disgusted and plops down on the couch in the three bedroom suite’s living room.

“This sucks! You suck!” he says accusingly, pointing at Apolo. Apolo laughs loudly, throwing his head back with mirth.

“Only guys I really like! And grow up Malone. You poured alcohol down Simon’s throat like it was Gatorade. Now you get to deal with the consequences.” Apolo says so matter-of-factly that both JR and Travis laugh in response. Jordan glares, arms crossing over his chest.

“Um, Guys!?” comes a pained call from Simon’s room and Travis makes a kind of defeated sound before climbing to his feet.

“Give it up, Jordan. You are not leaving me alone on Simon duty all night!” he says, smacking Jordan in the back of the head and heading for the bedroom door. Jordan sits glaring at JR and Apolo where they stand at the front door. JR smiles sweetly at him.

“Have fun,” he says, shoving Jordan’s keys back into his pocket, and dragging Apolo toward the door with his other hand.

“I hate you!” Jordan snaps from the couch.

“JORDAN!” Travis yells from the bedroom. JR and Apolo flee into the hallway before their laughter can over take them completely.

JR and Jordan’s room is three hallways away from the room Apolo had shared for the entire games with Simon and Travis. They cover the entire distance walking silently and keeping a minimum safe distance of 6 inches between every part of their bodies. This is part of their thing. Whatever it is they do, or are to each other, it’s kept private. Only the other guys on the team and Shani had any idea they fucked on a regular basis. The coaches didn’t know. None of their parents knew. And the public definitely didn’t know.

So JR’s a little surprised when Apolo’s hands clamp down on his hips while he’s unlocking the door. This type of touching in public is generally off limits. He freezes up against Apolo, and the older man presses up against his back. Full body contact, while they’re still out in the hallway. JR gasps.

“Open the door, JR,” Apolo says softly in his ear. JR swallows thickly.

“Apolo, we’re in the hallway,” he says quietly, hands unable to move with shock. Apolo smiles against his ear.

“It’s almost 3 in the morning. The hallway is deserted. Everyone’s already gone to bed or will be out until dawn. We’re fine. But you might want to get that door unlocked, before I do you right out here in the open,” Apolo says, nipping at JR’s earlobe. JR lets out a choked moan, and crams his key into the door, twisting with more force than is probably necessary. The door pops open, and JR scrambles inside, Apolo following close behind.

The door slams closed behind them, and they head for the main part of dorm room. Before JR can think of a response Apolo is spinning him around and unzipping his heavy winter coat. He reaches for Apolo’s coat zipper, suddenly feeling far too hot in his own clothes. First to drop to the floor is their coats, than their navy blue and red sweaters, and silk ties. JR loses track when Apolo’s hands start unbuttoning his shirt. At that point he’s too focused on the feel of Apolo’s skin under his hands where he’s slid them up under his un-tucked plaid dress shirt and by the taste of Apolo on his lips, where Apolo’s mouth is fixed to his own. Apolo chuckles against his lips, pulling back and smiling at JR in the half light of the dorm living room. He pulls back, removing JR’s hands from under his shirt.

“Work with me here, JR,” he says teasingly. JR laughs, stepping back and kicking off his shoes. He rips his badge off his neck and tosses it to the floor in front of the make-shift entertainment center. His unbuttoned shirt quickly joining it. Apolo laughs, following his example. It’s only a few seconds later that JR’s hands are being pushed away from his belt, and zipper, Apolo’s hands taking over the task. JR’s struck speechless. He slides his arms around Apolo’s neck, pulling his mouth in to meet his own. Apolo kisses him eagerly, hands working furiously. He gets JR’s zipper and button undone, his belt unbuckled and left open. He pushes at the fabric and the pants slide down JR’s legs. JR grins at him, his own hands, running down Apolo’s front to do the same. Apolo grins into the kiss, slipping his hands under the waistband of JR’s boxer-briefs. The younger man is hard already, and his hips shift with the feel of Apolo’s fingers on his bare ass. Apolo gasps when JR finally gets his pants off, tugging at his boxers, and pushing them down out of the way. Apolo does the same and then presses his bare hips to JR’s, erections hot and hard against each other.

JR breaks the kiss to gasp and moan, his hands tugging Apolo closer. Apolo grins.

“Where do you want it?” he asks. “Here on the rug? Or in the chair?” he nods to the black leather arm chair in the corner of the living area. “It’ll be a tight fit, but we always seem to manage. Or…” he smiles slowly. “I know. On that teeny tiny dorm room bed. You’ve been dreaming about it for weeks haven’t you?” he asks. JR doesn’t respond, just starts tugging him to the left and through the door to his ridiculously small bedroom. The bed is messy, but the room is not. Apolo retakes JR’s mouth, pressing him down to sit on the small little bed, and then back into the pillows. He stretches out over the other man, bracing himself with his hands and knees. JR shifts his hips, not breaking the kiss. He pulls his knees up, thighs sliding up to cradle Apolo’s waist. Apolo groans at the way JR shifts under him. He wants it, and suddenly Apolo wants it twice as badly for knowing JR’s so ready for it. He leans back, reaching for the nightstand. JR can be frighteningly predictable about some things and the lube is precisely where it always is. The right front corner of the first drawer. Apolo is back in place a second later, tube open and fingers coated.

He reaches down pressing one finger up inside of JR who squirms, panting under him. Apolo eases in a second finger, twisting them inside and pressing deep. JR’s breathing catches.

“’Polo!” he says sharply, hands gripping Apolo’s shoulders. Apolo smiles, kissing down his neck and pressing in a third finger. JR groans rocking his hips. Apolo taking the hint pulls his fingers out and replaces them with his dick. JR cries out at the push, groaning a little, and flexing his thighs to tug Apolo in deeper. Apolo sighs, leaning his forehead against JR’s shoulder. He pulls his hips back rocking deep again. JR pants in his ear, hands sliding in the sweat gathering on Apolo’s back. He hisses at the sting of JR’s fingernails, and sits up, pulling JR’s hand down to pin them to the bed. JR look at him, brown eyes wide with pleasure and want. JR grins at him and flexes his hips, struggling to free his arms. Apolo grunts, pressing JR’s arms flat to the bed near his head, using his full body weight to keep them there. “Apolo,” JR whines. Apolo is merciful. He thrusts his hips again, tilting the angle just enough to slide over JR’s prostate. The younger man’s eyes fall closed with sudden pleasure. “Fuck!” he cries, hands turning to grip the pillow under his head.

Apolo releases one of JR’s arms, using his now free hand to reach down and grip JR’s erection. JR groans under him, eyes wide and unfocused. He’s close. Apolo knows by the look on his face, by how quiet he’s gotten, the way his eyes are sort of half open with pleasure. But Apolo doesn’t want this to be over already. He leaves tomorrow afternoon for weeks of publicity and appearances. He won’t likely see JR again until the DC trip in April. So he grins, purposefully slowing the pace of his hips. JR makes a little whining sound, his eyes clearing. He rocks his hips but Apolo lets go of his dick to hold his hips still. JR glares up at Apolo.

“You are such an asshole!” JR says. Apolo laughs, grinning widely. JR pulls his other arm free and uses his hands to push himself up and into Apolo’s lap. He pushes the older man back to lay flat on his back, legs bent under him. Apolo makes a pained grunt, his head hanging off the end of JR’s small bed.

“Ow!” he says laughing, his hands going to JR’s hips. JR grins down at him.

“You’re a fucking tease you know that?” JR asks. Apolo nods.

“You like that I’m a tease. It means things are never boring between us!” Apolo says. JR grins down at him, shrugging his shoulders a little. Apolo shifts under him, and makes another pained sound. “Can you just move for a second? This is starting to really hurt!” JR rolls his eyes.

“You do this stretch ten times a day at practice!” he says, shifting on top of Apolo’s hips. Apolo’s face twists into a pained grimace.

“Not with 135 pounds of teenager sitting on my dick!” he protests. JR laughs, and lifts his hips, letting Apolo pull one leg out and around to lay flat, and then the other. JR sinks back down, making them both gasp.

“Better?” he asks a bit breathless. He sits up and raises his hips, sliding back down and groaning at the depth Apolo hits inside him. Apolo nods.

“Yes, but know what would make it even better?” he asks, hands pushing and pulling at JR’s hips to set up a rhythm. JR scoffs looking down at Apolo.

“What?” he asks. Apolo lets his head flop backwards until he’s staring at the other side of the room behind him.

“A little something under my head for support would be nice…” he says grinning. JR reaches down to smack his shoulder. “Oww… partner abuse!” Apolo complains picking his head back up. JR rolls his eyes pulling himself up off of Apolo’s erection. He moves backward to the head of the bed, grabs Apolo under the knees and yanks him up the bed until Apolo’s head is up on top of the mattress. Apolo’s laughing as JR climbs back onto his hips, using one hand to hold Apolo’s dick up and sliding right back down onto it. “Fuck!” Apolo says, picking his head up to look at a grinning JR. “You little shit!” he says with a groan as JR squeezes around him. This time it’s JR who laughs.

“What? Just keeping things interesting,” he mimics, adjusting his legs to move in a faster rhythm. Apolo smiles, reaching up with one hand to grip JR’s erection, and using the other to explore JR’s chest. They’re both in Olympic level shape at the moment. More muscular and with less excess fat on their bodies than any other time in their lives. The muscles in JR’s abdomen and chest, arms and legs, all stand out in perfect relief, flexing with each movement he makes. Apolo can’t resist running his hands over them, chasing the dip and curve of each muscle, and tracing the lines tattooed across JR’s chest. JR groans, falling forward to brace one hand next to Apolo’s shoulder against the bed. He presses the other to Apolo’s chest, directly over his heart.

Something shifts between them then, without either of them saying a word. The smiles drop off their faces and their bodies slow their pace. JR closes his eyes, and Apolo watches him move with a sort of awe on his face. JR keeps rocking, rising up and down, Apolo’s hand moving over JR’s dick with the same speed, his hips lifting to meet him with each push and pull.

JR groans, opening his eyes, and looking down at Apolo. Apolo meets his gaze, tightening his grip on JR’s erection, and watching JR’s eyes go wider with the pleasure sweeping through him.

“JR,” Apolo says. He pushes himself up, wrapping his arm around JR’s body to pull him flush to his front, hand still moving on JR’s dick. “Come on, I’ve got you,” Apolo says, pressing his forehead to JR’s and kissing his mouth. JR pants against his lips, shaking apart and crying out as he comes between them. Apolo groans at the sudden tightness of JR’s ass, and thrusts his hips as much as he can in this position, pinned to the bed by JR’s body weight. JR goes limp against him, letting out a little whine with each press of Apolo’s hips. It only takes a few thrusts before he comes inside the younger man, clutching him tighter and crying out. He muffles the yell in JR’s shoulder.

They sit there, pressed together and panting for air for several minutes. JR wraps his arms around Apolo’s shoulders. He presses his face against Apolo’s neck, his breath hot against Apolo’s ear.

“I don’t want you to go. I don’t want this to be over,” JR whispers, so quietly Apolo can barely hear him. He tightens his arms around JR’s back.

“I have to go,” he says softly. “This…” he pauses, squeezing JR’s body to his, “this won’t be over. Not if you don’t want it to be,” he reassures. JR sighs, pressing a kiss to Apolo’s throat.

“Can’t you just delay being a grown up for like four more years? Come with me to Sochi. Go through this just one more time, and then you can write your book, and move to LA, and..” Apolo cuts him off with a kiss, taking his mouth a little desperately.

“You know I have to do this, now. The book deal, the obligations I’ve made for the next six months... they’re all finalized. I can’t put them off. I have so much I can get accomplished. So many kids whose lives I can change.” He sighs, closing his eyes, and pressing his temple to JR’s.

“I’m in love with you,” JR whispers, and Apolo can hear the emotion in his voice, the tears he’s trying so hard not to let out. Apolo feels his gut clench.

“You know I love you. You know I want you. I wish you could take the year off and come with me. I don’t even care what all the haters would say, but that wouldn’t be the best choice for you! It wouldn’t be what you need. You need to go to World Championships, and take the summer off and start school. Berkeley’s been your dream for years, JR. I won’t let you throw that away for me!” Apolo says. JR nods, and Apolo ignores the wetness he can feel on his neck.

“What about Sochi?” JR whispers. “What about training? I can wait a year. I can last that long without you. But what about after that? Are you coming back or not?” he whispers. Apolo closes his eyes.

“You know I don’t know yet. You know that’s still up in the air,” Apolo replies. JR sighs, pulling back, loosening their mutual grip on each other. He wipes at his face, hiding behind his hands and sighing. He climbs out of Apolo’s lap, flopping back against the rumpled sheets and pillows. He stares up at the ceiling and sighs a little.

“Ok, I guess I just get to wait and see,” he closes his eyes and Apolo watches him unsure what to say.

“I don’t want you to just wait. What if you find the perfect girl at Berkeley? Some girl who likes the same movies and music you do? Who gets your sense of humor? I don’t want you sitting around being miserable waiting for me. Not when I have no idea how long it will be before I’ll be able to see you again.” JR flinches.

“Then why don’t we just end this? Just break up and get it over with? Oh I know! Because we’re not technically together. We’re just friends who love each other and fuck on occasion. How silly of me,” JR says making Apolo wince. He turns around on the bed to stretch out beside JR, pulling his unresisting body over to lie up against his own. He rests his head beside JR’s on the pillow. But JR doesn’t turn to look at him.

“Feel better?” Apolo asks softly. JR grins a little crookedly and shrugs.

“Yes actually,” he replies, turning on to his side to face Apolo. Apolo smiles at him, reaching up to brush JR’s bangs back off his forehead.

“I have to go because it’s the right time for me to do the things I need to go do. It’s not because I don’t want you or don’t want to be with you,” Apolo says softly. JR groans.

“I know. Doesn’t make it suck any less. When do you have to leave for the airport?” JR asks. He curls his arm around Apolo’s side, tracing Apolo’s ribs, and around to stroke the muscles of his back.

“My Dad is meeting me just outside the village at noon. He’s taking a bunch of my stuff home in his car. All my Team USA gear. He’s going to drive me to the airport and then head home to Seattle. He’s flying out to join me in New York the day after,” Apolo explains. JR sighs and nods.

“So you should probably get some sleep. It’s almost 5am. The sun will be on its way up soon.” Apolo smiles at JR.

“I don’t want to sleep. I want to stay up with you,” Apolo says making JR grin slowly.

“Ok,” he says pressing closer and kissing across Apolo’s chin to his mouth. “Take a shower with me?” he asks. Apolo grins.

“Hmmm? Maybe later,” he says.

“Why not now?” JR asks. Apolo’s grin turned sly.

“I have something else in mind,” he says.

“Oh?” JR asks.

“Well there’s still plenty of places we haven’t Christened. The leather chair in the main room. The floor. Jordan’s bed!” Apolo says laughing.

“He would kill me if we did it in his bed!” JR replies, sitting up a little and grinning. Apolo smirks.

“I know. But just imagine his face!” Apolo says, sitting up too. JR pulls away, scrambling out of bed, he tugs at Apolo’s hand.

“Come on! Come on! We have to do this!” he crows, dragging a naked Apolo up out of the bed, out the room, through the living area, and into Jordan’s room. He bounces down onto the bed, pulling Apolo down on top of himself and promptly freezes. He turns to look at the bed, leaning down. “Oh gross, we can’t do it in here!” he says looking disgusted. Apolo looks down at him in confusion.

“Why? What’s wrong?” he asks. JR sniffs again.

“This bed reeks of Jordan’s cologne. I can’t get it up when it smells like Maloney in here!” he says sitting up. Apolo sits up too.

“Hmm… we can just make him think we fucked in here?” Apolo suggests. JR’s eyes light up. Together they mess up the covers, tossing one pillow across the room, and dragging the blanket half to the floor. They wrinkle the sheets and leave the whole bed a wreck. Then they stand back to admire their handiwork. “Hmm, I think it’s missing something,” Apolo says thoughtfully. JR lets out a bark of laughter and races to the nightstand. Yanking open the drawer and searching for a moment, he pulls out a box of condoms. Apolo laughs loudly in response, racing over. He watches JR rip the box open, dumping it out in the drawer. He pulls out one and hands it to Apolo.

Apolo giggles with glee, ripping the wrapper open. He tosses the wrapper to the bed, shoving it under the open sheet, and unrolls the condom. He grips each end and pulls stretching it out. Then grinning at JR, drops it to the floor, kicks it just under Jordan’s bed. JR cracks up laughing so hard he has to sit down. Apolo laughs too, collapsing beside him. He curls around JR, both of them trying to stop laughing. Their breathing slows, and soon they’re just laying there staring at the ceiling and giggling spontaneously. JR rolls over to lay on his side and smiles down at Apolo. He leans forward sliding a hand through Apolo’s hair and leaning over to kiss him. Apolo smiles against him wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. He opens his mouth to JR’s tongue, and kisses him deeply. JR laughs, pulling away.

“I’m sorry I still can’t do it in here!” he says, pushing himself up into a sitting position. Apolo lays staring up at him. He thinks for a moment.

“Chair sex?” he suggests. JR nods laughing. He jumps up and runs for the door.

“First one there gets to top!” he calls, diving out the door. Apolo sits up laughing, only instead of jumping up to follow he gets up leisurely. “Apolo! You’re all mine next,” JR calls. Apolo grins, stretching out the muscles in his back, and walks sedately out into the main room.

“I have no problem with that,” he says quietly in reply.

 

The sun comes up on the two of them stretched out naked across the living room floor. They’re lying on a blanket, eating the half a can of Pringles JR had hidden away for just this purpose. They eat each chip slowly, savoring them, and taking their time. They’d had sex in JR’s room, in the leather arm chair, and then again on the blanket they currently occupied. JR crosses his arms, turning his head to face Apolo and laying his head down atop his folded forearms. He nudges the can closer to Apolo.

“You get the crumbs,” he says with a smile. Apolo eyes the can.

“Why do I get them?” he asks. “The crumbs are the best part!” JR smiles at him.

“Because you’re the most decorated Winter Olympian in all of American history. And because I know you won’t treat yourself to them for a while.” Apolo smiles, accepting the can, and tipping the crumbs into his mouth. JR sighs.

“How much longer?” he asks. Apolo checks the watch still on his wrist.

“It’s almost 8. We need to shower and get dressed soon. Are you sure you want to come with me to meet my dad?” he asks. JR nods.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” he whispers. Apolo lays back down, mirroring JR’s position, and sighing.

“I love you,” he whispers. “I’m going to miss you like crazy.” JR’s grin is blinding.

“I know. I’m just so loveable you can’t help yourself.”

“And sexy. You are hella sexy, JR,” Apolo adds. JR laughs.

“Oh yes, overwhelmingly sexy. You can’t keep your hands off of me,” he says with amusement, but a second later JR’s smile fades. “Apolo, say it again,” he prompts. Apolo smiles softly, gingerly.

“I’m in love with you. I’m going to miss you every single moment of every single day,” Apolo says. JR nods.

“We’ll see each other in DC?” JR asks. Apolo nods. “And I can stay with you?”

“Yes,” Apolo agrees. JR sighs and rolls closer pressing a kiss to Apolo’s bicep.

“That’s all we can really promise each other right now, isn’t it?” he asks. “Just when the next meet up can be… weeks or even months down the line. Nothing more than that.” Apolo doesn’t know how to reply so he doesn’t. JR sighs again shaking his head. “It’s better than nothing I suppose.”

They lay in silence, the light creeping further and further across the ceiling where it streams through the balcony windows. It’s JR who breaks the silence.

“I’m not going to find someone else. At college I mean,” he says. Apolo closes his eyes. After a minute, he opens them again, and sits up on their make shift pallet.

“There’s a part of me that wishes you would,” he says softly. “You don’t deserve to have to wait around like this. You’re so young. You shouldn’t be tied to someone who can’t be with you the way you need,” Apolo says. JR sits up too. He presses close, wrapping his arms around Apolo, and burying his face in the other man’s neck.

“What does the other part of you wish?” he asks. Apolo sighs, hugging JR back.

“The other part of me knows that you won’t find someone else because you won’t even try. Because you’re stubborn and bull-headed, and you’re convinced we’re soul mates who fell in love at the wrong point in our lives.” Apolo answers. JR grins at the truth in his words.

“So where does that leave us?” JR asks. Apolo laughs softly.

“I suppose, as two soul mates who can’t be together no matter how much they want to be. We’ll see each other in April. And then hopefully soon after that and so on and so on, until fate changes things. Until we can find a solution to our geographical issues and we can be together, the way we want to be.”

“That’s the game plan?” JR asks. Apolo nods.

“That’s the game plan.” JR flops back across the floor, arching his back and stretching his arms above his head.

“Ok,” he says, smiling up at Apolo. He nods. “Ok.”

 

At half past nine they raid the makeshift kitchen for dry cereal and fruit, and eat it in silence, before climbing into the dorm room’s luxurious shower. They touch and kiss and make love under the falling water, spending way too much time under the hot spray. When it’s over, JR sits on the counter, watching Apolo carefully shave his face around the edges of his perfectly manicured goatee, brushing his teeth with JR’s free P&G funded toothbrush. He styles his hair enough to be manageable and raids JR’s closet for something to wear back to his room. They both get dressed, JR in his interview uniform, ready for a day down at the media center doing interviews on no sleep, and Apolo for a flight to New York City. It’s almost 11 when they head for the door. JR reaches for the knob when Apolo stops him, pulling him around and pressing him against the wall of the entry way. He takes JR’s mouth with intent, kissing him hungrily. JR groans, tilting his head to the side, his hands sliding up the back of his own Manny Pacquiao t-shirt to press against Apolo’s spine. They break apart, panting for air.

“I love you,” Apolo says softly. JR nods.

“50 days,” JR replies. He hugs Apolo tight. “That’s nothing,” he says quietly. Apolo bites the inside of his cheek. “I love you, too. Now let’s go or you’re going to miss your flight,” he says softly. Apolo sighs but pulls back, composing himself briefly. He scoops up his closing ceremonies uniform, and turns leaving the dorm room. JR takes a deep steadying breath and follows.

 

The Olympics were over. Apolo leaves on his flight, sharing one more hug with JR before climbing into his father’s car and waving goodbye. JR goes back to the dorm, gets there just in time to witness Jordan’s freak out about the state of his bed, and the condom wrapper he’d found in the sheets. The rest of the relay team spends their remaining stay in Vancouver doing press interviews and packing. And on Monday fly home to SLC, to resume training for the World Championships in Bulgaria later that month in mid-March.

The Olympics were two weeks in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A finite number of races in a finite number of days. A specific place and a set time. Those two weeks and the weeks proceeding and following it changed hundreds of lives. Some for the better. Most for the better.

But for JR Celski and Apolo Anton Ohno, the end of the games marked only a turning point in their relationship. The beginning of a long separation caused by various outside obligations. Career ambitions, training, family, and school. But that separation only made them stronger. And when it was finally over and they could be together, really together, well… they never had to be apart again.

The End


End file.
